I've been working in content marketing since 2008 (has it really been 6 years?!). Everywhere I turn, people are proclaiming, "Content is king!" But if I've learned one thing from blogging, it's that content isn't really king. Good, high quality content is important, yes, but that may be misleading for people who are just starting out. Or for anyone, really.

If no one knows you exist, that content you spent hours perfecting will just sit there, along with the other millions of articles and blog posts floating around the internet.

So if good content isn't enough to get your blog noticed, what is?

I'm nearing the end of my first year running my own blog (rather than writing for others) and wish I would have spent more time focusing on promotion and networking.

3 Most Important Aspects of Getting a Blog Post Read

1. Networking

The first year of blogging should be spent networking with other bloggers, making friends in your niche and trying to get the attention of the big players. Getting a well-known blogger to share your content will open the doors to new readers. Plus, it's always good to have friends in the blogging world. Community is one of the most important parts of blogging.

Here are a few ways you can start working with other bloggers + spread your content:

a. If you offer a service with your blog, trade that service for a guest post, twitter shout-out, etc. I've exchanged my SEO services for guest posts, and that's actually my #2 way for getting new clients (after referrals).

b. Advertise your blog on similar blogs who already have a large audience.

c. Engage with other bloggers on Twitter. Answer questions, retweet posts, etc.

d. Write guest posts for other websites in your industry. I've been published on MindBodyGreen many times, and this has been a huge help in building my audience. Good content is definitely important with this tactic. Share your best tips for free.

2. Promotion + a good post title

Some of the top blogging experts say you should spend as much time promoting your blog post as you do writing it. Promotion involves posting to your social networks, sharing on bookmarking sites and basically anything you can do to let people know the post exists. Don't be salesy. Be helpful. For example, search for questions related to your blog topic, and offer the post as a solution. You can also get more exposure by rephrasing your title and scheduling it on Twitter for multiple days.

Speaking of your title, this is the most important part of your blog post. Study some of the top posts on popular sites like Buzzfeed, Huffington Post and any of your favorite news sites or blogs. Which posts do the best?

Chances are the posts contain: +How to.. +35 Ways.. (any number) +You'll never believe... +The #1 Trick to..

If you need more ideas, start typing your topic into Google and see what is suggested.

3. Quality content

Now it's time to focus on the content. Here are the basics:

a. Scannable, visually appealing content.

b. Well-written, interesting content that adds value to someone's day.

 

If you feel like you're writing good content but it's not getting seen, don't get discouraged. Start reaching out to fellow bloggers and spend more time on networking and outreach.

---

Want MORE ideas? Download the '31 Ideas to Grow Your Traffic' eBook!

What was the biggest tip you learned during your first year of blogging?